Air activator



oct. 2,4 1934. R. JOHN 1,975,424

AIR ACTIVATOR.

Original Filed Jan. 6.31932 Patented et. 2, 1934 stares 1,975,424 l am Ac'rrya'roa Robert John, New York, N. Y.

Application January 6, 1932, Serial No.y 585,101 Renewed November 16, 1933 is claims.

This invention relates to improvements in ozonizers of the silent electrical discharge type, and particularly to ozonizers suitable for household use,` whereby suilicient quantities of ozone to have a bactericidal and deodorant effect may be diffused throughout the air of sleeping, living and dining rooms, bathrooms, closets, kitchens, etc., as distinguished from ozonizers intended to produce highly concentrated ozonization.

The invention has, among its objects, the production of a low percentage of diffused ozone in atmosphere at the minimum of cost and the maximum of simplicity, and to provide an automatic, economical means, not only of supplying the deficiency of ozone which usually exists in the atmosphere of city air, but also to provide a process of ozonization useful in special processes, as the manufacture of ozone in refrigerators or in the intake manifold of an internal combustion engine, and in many other situations in which compactness, cheapness and high efficiency are requisite; a still further object of the invention is to provide a means for producing ozone which shall be as free as possible from nitric acid and other oxidation products of air.

In the ozonizers of the present art, suitable forv such purposes as are accomplished by the present invention, the well known Siemens yozonizer is commonly regarded as the simplest and most emcient type.. This ozonize-r, as is well known, consists of two concentric glass tubes, one or two feet in length, the outer covered and the inner lined with tinfoil, which act as electrodes for a silent discharge passed through the stream of air flowing between them; a typical electrical current for producing this result being one of, say, 10,000 volts, and 1 milliampere. By attach-h ing a blower, air may be passed through the space between the concentric tubes and emerges with a measurable ozone content.

The production of pure ozone (irrespective of concentration) depends, first-on the character of the electric discharge and, second, on getting the newly created ozone molecule out of the path of further electrical disturbance. The ideal electrical condition is one in which the air is subjected to a silent luminous discharge, free from sparking, brush discharge, and, particularly what is known as edge discharge. When an even layer of luminous discharge is apparent, practically nothing is formed excepting ozone, if the treated air be immediately removed. Retreatment under these circumstances, however, will produce quantitiesof oxides of nitrogen. But if edge discharge or sparking is present, oxides of nitrogen are (Cl. 20d-32) formed instantaneously, so that removal of the treated air is of no avail. In order to present the ideal, evenly luminous discharge, it is necessary to position the electrodes in such a way that the impinging electrons strike a relatively broad surface, free from points, corners and edges and preferably strike said surface at an angle less than or greater than 90 degrees. The reason for this latter is the well known fact that the ionization of air influences its conductivity as is evidenced by the traveling backward and forward of the electrical spark. The purpose of providing a surface which may be impinged at an angle is to prevent the piling up of discharge spots or foci on the electrode.

Accordingly, a feature of my inventionresides in the production of ozone on a relatively smooth surface in the open air in such a way that the ozonized oxygen, through heat and the electrical breeze created, is instantly taken out of the eld of electrication, such removal being effected Yat right angles to the field rather than across it, and the removal of the treated air causing a reduced pressure at the electrified surface by reasons of which new, untreated air comes into contact with the electrical discharge.

Also, as a further feature of the invention, the construction and design of my ozonizng element are characterized by freedom from arcing and edge or point discharge, the result being an even, 86 luminous eld of discharge, free from foci capable of forming deleterious oxides. This is made possible by constructing the ozonizng element so that the discharge takes place from the upper surface of one electrode to the corresponding upper sur- 90 face of the other electrode.

As a still further feature of the invention, in order that the latter may take a form best suited for household use, I provide a compact unitary device, not substantially larger than an ordinary electric light bulb, which comprises a casing containing a conventional transformer for converting the electricity of the household circuit to the requisite voltage and amperage for operation of 'the ozonizer, the ozonizng element of my inven- 100 tion being mounted on one side of the casing and there being a plug projecting through another side of the casing adapted to be fitted directly into an electric light socket.

Briefly stated. my ozonizng element, in place 10b of the two concentric tubes with their inner and outer liningsof the Siemens ozonizer, comprises a smooth and regular di-electric plate or surface having surface electrodes fixed to the opposite y faces thereof. The inner electrode is mounted in USD the center'of the di-electric plate, preferably asl by cementing, and is so 'proportioned with relation to the plate that the space between its periphery and the periphery of the plate is greater than the length of spark capable of being formed in Aopen air by the source of electricity employed.

' form no intervening air space through which the.

electrical discharge must travel and in which the generated ozone becomes trapped. As a consequence, the ozone produced by my ozonizing elelisis ment is not subject to retreatment with the resultant production of deleterious oxides of nitro,- gen, but on the contrary, the generated ozone is immediately and'automatically 'diffused into the open air* surrounding the ileldl of electricaf tion and is also immediately and automatically replaced by untreated air from the lsurrounding atmosphere to be subjected to ozonification.

'I'he di-electric surface or plate maybe made of glass, mica, or `the like, while the electrodes or conductors are preferably in the form of metal foil, such as tinfoil, aluminum foil, or similar jelectrical'thinl conductive material capable .of exposing a broad surface. In order that there may be no sparking, brush discharge or edge discharge,

l which instantly produce nitrogen oxides, the edges of the electrode on the electrified surface of the di-electric are, as a feature of my invention, covered with a di-electric material whereby the electrical discharges, instead ofl concentrating :at the edges of the electrode, strike the central portions'of the electrode over a substantial area and at an angle other than normal with the result that there isno piling up of discharge spots on the electrode. v y

In a specific embodiment of myozonizing element, herein chosen for illustration, I have ernployed as the di-electric plate or surface, an ordinary glass watch crystal and tinfoil, cemented to the opposite faces of the crystal, as the inner and outer conductors. The ozonizing element will be hereinafter described with reference to this specific embodiment, but the invention is not to be construed as' limited thereto as various changes and modifications may be made therein without departing from the spirit and scope of my invention as dened inthe appended claims.

For a more detailed understanding l of the invention, reference will be had to the accompanying drawing, wherein:

Figure 1 is a plan view of my ozonizing device and showing the outer surface or portion of the ozonizing element; l

Figure 2 is a side view partly in section of the ozonizing device;

Figure 3 is a plan view of the inner surface of the ozonizing element,l this view showing the ozonizing element of Fig. 1 in inverted position; and

Figure 4 is a sectional view of a modified construction of ozonizing element. j

Referring more particularly to the drawing, the complete ozonizing device of my invention comprises a transformer casing A containing a suital plate.

"center of the electrode.

nection C projecting through the lower portion present invention, I .employ lan ordinary glass.

watch-crystal 10 as the di-electric member or .An inner tinfoil electrode 11 of substantial area is'cemented. to the inner face of crystal l0. The electrode or surface conductor 11 is'preferablysecuredto the central portion of the inner face of plate 10, andis substantially concentric with the latter. The space'between the peripheries of di-electric 10 and electrode 11 is greater than the length of spark capable of being formed in open air by the sourceof electricity employed.

Inner electrode 11 is provided with the radial cutoutA portions l2, lfor a purpose hereinafter ldescribed, these cut-out portions terminating short. of the center of the circular electrode to form the lsubstantially square-contacting section 13 at the The inner electrode thus I and is so. shaped and designed that a portion or portions thereof shall be outA of lalignment with a portion or portions of the inner electrode 11, for a purpose hereinafter described.l It is desirable that outer electrode 141 produce the largest possible area of even luminous silent discharge and for this purpose, in the embodimentof the invention herein chosen for illustration, I have. shown the outer electrode in the form of an annular ring 15 andthe radial bars 16. As shown. the ring 15 is of smaller diameter than inner electrode 11, while the b ars 16 are positioned directly above and of Smaller length and breadth than the cut-out portions 12 of electrode 11 on the lopposite face of the crystal. This design of the outer electrode and its relationship to the inner electrode yield a maximum area of even luminous silent discharge and enable substantial portions of both electrodes to be out of alignment. In the drawing I have shown the ring 15 and bars 16 as integral, but

^ it will, of course, be understood that these may be made of separate pieces of metal foil.

In order to eliminate points and edges on the outer electrode where sparkingand edge discharge might otherwise take place, I paint all edges of ring 15 and bars 16 with a di-electric cement such as bakelite varnish, or the like. In Fig. l of the drawing, this di-electric coating for both edges of ring l5 is shown at 17, while in the case of bars 16, the di-electri coatingo for the edges is shown at 18. All edges of the outer electrode being covered with di-electric, the outer face of the ozonizing element provides a relatively smooth and regular surface for electrication and is characterized by freedom from arcing and edge or point discharge, the result being an even luminous eld of discharge, free of foci capable of forming deleterious oxides. In securing electrodes 11 a'nd 14 to di-electric plate 10, a dielectric cement is also preferably employed.

From the construction thus far described, it will be observed that, the electrodes having been connected to av suitable sourceof electricity, the production of ozone takes place on the relatively smooth outer face of the ozonizing element exiso posed to the open air in such a way that the f lozonized oxygen is instantly dissipated from the fleld of electriilcation through the'heat and electrical breeze created. This removal of ozone takes place upwardly from or at right angles to the field of electriiication rather than across the nordsee letter whereby there con loe no retreetinent oi the generated ozone with the resultant production of deleterious oxides. This removol of the treated sir creates e, reduced pressure zone adjacent the outer suroce ot the ozonizing element by reason of which new, untreated oir eutomoticolly comes into content with the electrioel discharge. Since the electrodes ere cemented to opposite feces oi the di-electric pleite, there is no oir spece therebetween in which the generated ozone might he rta-subjected to electrical discharge ond thus converted into nitrogen oxides. Instead the dis charge taires piece from electrode l1 through dielectric plate lo, outwardly from the surface of the letter into the surrounding sir undv thence downwardly ontothe outer surface of electrode le. ln other words, the discharge occurs from the upper surface of electrode il to the corresponding upper surface of electrode le, passing through the oli-electric plete and the surrounding atmosphere in its travel. As indicated by the arrows in Fis. 2, the discharge, upon lceving gloss plete lo, jumps over the di-electric cemented vedges li' und lo of electrode le, end striires the surface portions of the latternt on ongle retirer than pernendiculcrly. In this wey, insteod ofconceutroting ot the edges of the electrode to produce spefrlxing, the discharge spreeds over the entire surface ores. of the outer electrode to produce the idool evenly luminous discharge essentiol for perfect ozonizution.'

As elreody exnleined, the impingernent of the dischorgesoverc brood surtooe on the outer electrode et en uncle other then normal, prevents the piling up oi7 discharge spots on the electrode, thus eliminating loci console oi forming deleterious oxides.

The provision of the cut-out portions l2 in the inner electrode und the hers lo of the outer electrode directly thereahove, sords u morini ares of unoligned portions of both electrodes whereby there is minimum discherse directly from the upper fece .of the inner electrode to the under foce or the outer electrode. 0n the contrsry, by reason ofthe disslignrnent of solistentiol portions 'oi both electrodes, there is maxi mum discharge from the upper surface ci' the inner electrode onto the corresponding upper surface of the outer electrode through the surrounding nir. The orionizing chorscter of -the electric held lis urther augmented hy melting the inner electrode oi the largest possible creo compatible with the potentiel of the current used. Thot is to soy, the inner foil il is extended es neer the edge ci crystal 10 os con be safely done without permitting its cherge to src accross the space between its'perinhery and the periphery of the crystal. As elresdycxoleined, the glow teures the course indicated hy the arrows in 2, while the cli-electric cement l? end lo eliminutes the edge discharge footer, and these conditions, together with the rect that the held of electriicotion is on ereletiveiy smooth surnce, constitute the idool state for generating :mono with the conrpiete absence of undesirable oxides.

in Fig. s, l have shown e. modified forno o my ozonizing element which is churecteriseci hy o stili smoother outer surface then thsit provided hy the construction of Fles. i und 2.. in this modicetiori oi the invention, the dielectric `plete lil' is provided with en inner surface electrode il', as in the construction previously described. However, instead o cementing the outer electrode to the unir-er foce of the crystal, the letter is etched with hydro-noone scid to gironde req cesses .@.or'reception of en outer electrode le' of suhstuntielly the seine conguretion .es shown in Fig. l. En this wey, it is possible to position the exposed surface of the outer electrode in the seme plone ns the outside surface of the glass plete, thus enhancing the smoothness of the ozonizing surface. lin this modification it is not necessary vto cover the edges of the electrode with zii-electric cement, but I prefer to cli-electrically cement the electrode into the etched recesses to insure its retention. and the elimination of edge discharge.

Referring now to the transformer casing A, it contains s suitable transformer of eny known construction forconverting the electricity of the ordinsry household circuit to the voltage requisite for the operation of the ozonizer, and for limiting the smneroge to meet the seme requirements. Since such o. transformer, 'per se, forms no port of the present invention, und os it is well llnown, I lieve not illustroted the seme in the drawing. in u specific construction l lieve employed s. transformer comprising primary end secondary windings so disposed within e, lomnoted insgn netic ileld es to yield on output of 6000 volts by .o milli-emperes. The primary winding has 50G turns of No. 33 wire, end the secondary winding 30ml@ turns of No. lo Wire. The core was isho.ped end its dimensions were l inch, 11/8 inches, und 1%. inches. The winding length was 1% inches. The consumption of this device is between 5 snol d watts and .by the use ci nner Wires, itis possible to reduce the size of the transformer und mso the current consumption. it is 'desirnhle to neuke the complete device es smell as possible, and l have constructed o. complete ozog unit which is not substantially larger thon on ordinory electric ,light bulb.

The oronizing element B is secured to one side oi cosine .il es hy cementing, and the outer surfoce thereoiJ exposed to the open air. The outer electrode le is grounded to the primary circuit of the transformer through the contact member 2i, which projects into the transformer casing es heet shown in Fig. 2. The terminal 22 of the secondnry winding projects through the ton of the cosine und is held in contacting engagement with central section i3 of inner electrode il. will thus he eeen that the inner electrode is insulated from the outside, und, the exposed electrode of the ozonising device heine7 grounded to the primary circuit, the whole device con he hrndled without denser of o sho/cir or short circuitinr. use the oronizinir circuit muy he reedily wiped clean with o ros, out this roi-ely loeconies necessary since l hove observed that thev electrified particles ot dust form and collect in e. rins` outside the zone or electriiicotion. .du outside connection lor the tronsormer is provided hy the nlug C wherehy the complete osonizing unit con he fitted into en, electric socket or the ordinary household circuit.

The complete device is preferably locotecl in the ceiling or high in the room, und when contect is mode with the source ot electricity hy clos; ing the conifentionol switch, the discharge of ozone will instantly proceed, and will he found to diiluse itself quite uniformly throughout the rooinl lin the seine manner, the device moy'be inserted in the con of the rood compartment of Mil irs v ist.

n reirigeretor, 'wlierehy the ozone crested, through its hsctericidel end deodorant cherocteristics, will preserve the food much longer than usuel ond prevent one class of food from teinting another;

is desired to use the orcnicins element in the air intake of anautomobile, it is not necessary to employ the transformer, but the high tension current supplied to the ignition system may be made to serve. 'Ihis is accomplished by fitting the ozonizing element in the carburetor or in the intake manifold in any position in which the incoming air or the air-gasoline mixture will come in contact with it, connecting the central electrode to. one high tension terminal, usually ground, and the other, through an insulated wire to the top of one of the spark plugs or to the dis-` tributor. 1

By way of comparison of the efficiency of the present invention with that of the Siemens tube, it may be stated that the amount of ozone created in a measuredquantity of air in a given time by the same amount of electrical current is more than 10 times when the present invention is used than when the Siemens tube is used; and, fu'rther, the air treated by the Siemens tube shows evidence of acid, whereas the air treated by my'de'- vice shows no traces thereof.

From the foregoing, it will be seen that I have devised an improved construction of ozonizerhaving the advantages herein set forth. Many vari- '.ations obvious to one skilled in the art may be made in the device herein chosen for illustray tion without departing from the scopev of the invention. For example, the di-electric plate, in-

stead of being curved as herein shown, may well be a flat or plane surface, a watch crystal having been employed in the illustrated modifications 4 onlyas a matter of convenience.

Having thus described the invention, I claim:

1. An air. activating element comprising a dielectric plate and surface conductors secured to the opposite faces of the plate, one of which conductors presents only a substantially unilateral exposure to the gas to be treated.

2. An air activating element comprising a dielectric plate and surface conductors secured to the opposite faces of the plate, all facesbut one of one of said conductors being covered with di-electric material.

` 3. An air activating element comprising a dielectric plate, surface electrodes on opposite sidesV of the plate, and means for causing electrical discharge through the gas being treated to take place from a surface of one of the electrodes to on'y the outer surface of the other electrode.

4. In an activator having parallel electrodes of l substantial surface area, the combination of means for effecting electrical discharge through the gas being treated from a surface of one of the electrodes 'to only the remote surface of the other electrode, said other electrode being exposed to gas being treated.

5. An air activating element comprising a smooth di-electric member and smooth electrodes of substantial surface area cemented to opposite sides of said member, one or more sides of one of said electrodes being coated with di-electric cement and a substantial portion of the other electrode being out of alignment with said trode.

one elecy yplate having a metal foil electrode cemented to one side'thereof, a recess provided in the oppo# site side of the plate, and a second electrode positioned in said recess and exposed to the gas being treated.

7. An air activating element comprising a dielectric plate, a surface conductor secured to one face of the plate, and a second surface conductor on the opposite face of the plate, the exposed surface of said second conductor and of said plate lying in substantially the same plane, said second conductor having at least some portions thereof in non-overlapping `relation with the first conductor and laterally spaced therefrom.

8. An activator of the'electric-discharge type, having electrodesA in which'the gas to be activated is in contact with only a single outer surface of one electrode. l A

9. An activator of the electrical-discharge type which presents only a unilateral surface contact to the gas being activated. 4

10.` Anactivator of the electrical-discharge type in which said discharge is projected from only a unilateral surface into the gas being activated.

11. A compact air activating unit comprising a transformer, a casing therefor, an ozonizing element mounted on a wall thereof, electrical connections from said transformer to said ozonizing element, a connector provided on another wall of said casing, said connector adapted to be detachsaid ozonizing unit, said ozonizing element being Aof the electrical discharge type and presenting only a unilateral surface contact to the gas being ozonized.

12. An air activating element comprising a dielectric plate, a surface electrode secured to one face of the plate, and a second surface electrode secured to the opposite face of the plate, one of said electrodes being exposed to the gas to be treated, said exposed electrode having at least some portions out of alignment with portions'of the first electrode, said portions of the exposed electrode being laterally spaced from an edge oi the first electrode.

13. An air activating element comprising a relatively smoothsurfaced di-electric plate and surface conductors lsecured to opposite faces of the plate, said conductors being adapted to have an electric discharge formed therebetween, one of said electrodes being exposed to the gas being treated, a portion of. said discharge passing through the di-electric member and the gas being'treated, tosaid exposed electrode, vsaid exposed electrode and said plate being formed to provide a surfacefree from gas retaining pockets lin the treating zone of the discharge whereby 

